Our Mission

FathersAndHusbands.org was founded in 2003 in response to the increasing prevalence of negative representations of fathers, husbands and men in the mass media.  Our mission is to redefine the standards by which the value and dignity of fatherhood and the role of the husband are upheld in the media.  We seek to achieve this by facilitating the application of business incentives directed at advertising agencies, their holding companies and companies advertising in the mass media.  We believe the value systems held by those creating the all-too-familiar demeaning images of men in advertising are not shared by the vast majority of the viewing audience or by those leading the organizations that pay for this material.   We seek to encourage business leaders to become actively involved in socially responsible advertising spending and believe that this process will divert business from agencies producing and profiting from material aggressively hostile to the relationship between men and their families.  We also seek to encourage the public to become actively involved in understanding the dynamics and structure of the advertising industry and in expressing their views on this matter to marketers, advertising agencies, the advertising press and, of course, to us.

copyright 2008
fathersandhusbands.org

feedback@fathersandhusbands.org

Men in Prime Time: Survey's In

A 2007 survey conducted by FathersAndHusbands.org shows that men in prime time television are viewed far more often than women as sources of marital discontent, as inadequate parents, and as "corrupt" and "stupid".  Respondents to the February 2007 survey indicated by a factor of over 11 to 1 that wives are portrayed more often than husbands as "justifiably dissatisfied with" their spouses and by 17 to 1 that men are more often portrayed as "corrupt".  Women were significantly more likely to be seen as intelligent (5 to 4), good looking (7 to 1), and inspiring (5 to 1).  In two categories women received all the favorable responses as not a single respondent indicated that men are more often depicted as "good parents" or as "honest". 

The Work of Boston Ad Agency
Arnold Worldwide
 

	Arnold Montage 3:38	"Parking" 0:30	"Ping-Pong" 0:30
click images to view video
There's a lot that could be said about the way husbands, fathers and men are depicted in advertising.  Boston advertising giant Arnold Worldwide has based nearly all of their work for Fidelity Investments on contemptuous depictions of men.  With millions to spend on campaigns like these, you'd think they'd be able to come up with something a little more inspired and a lot less hostile, especially when the ads are supposed to convince people to hand over their life savings.  But this is a time when the ads will speak better for themselves.
More Ads from Arnold Worldwide
Links of Interest

Register for our Email Action Alerts

From time to time we call on those who support our cause to express their views in a coordinated way to marketers, advertising agencies and others.  These efforts are often aimed at influencing the ad agency selections of marketers.  If you'd like to be notified by email of opportunities to participate in our campaigns, please register here.  Donations to support these efforts are very much appreciated.